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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. ARBES. MACHINE FOE BLIND STITGHING.

No. 595,090. Patented Dec. 7, 1897.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. ARBES. MACHINE FOR BLIND STITGHING. No. 595,090. Patented Dec. 7,1897.

AWN

76 MI a Joc/ arm,

INVENTOR Hr MM ATTOR N EY (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. ARBES.

MACHINE FOR BLIND STITUHING.

No. 595,090. 20 Patentgg Dec 7,,

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 7; ATTORNEY (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. ARBES. MACHINE FOR BLIND STITGHING.

No. 595,090. Patented Dec. 7,1897.

\f JAH J E E S S E N h W BY ATTORN EY Warren STATES PATENT rrrca.

JOSEPH ARBES, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR BLINDSTITCHING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,090, dated December*7, 1897.

Application filed April 1'7, 1897. Serial No- 632,60S, (N0 model.)

lining to the inner surface of a piece of cloth.

or in hemming the edge of a piece of cloth. Blindstitching is alsoemployed. for. sewing the lining upon furs, inclosing the waddingbetween the lining and the skin, for instance, in lining fur trimming.

Though my improvements are particularly useful for blindstitchin g, themachine is also capable of performing other forms of sewing, as will beclear from the description.

The main feature of novelty in my improved machine is the m achine-tableor clothsupporting plate formed in two parts, which are mounted,respectively, upon the arms of an approximately U shaped frame,withtheir adjacent edges forming a cloth opening or slot in the path of theneedle, extending from side to side of the machine to permit the insertion of the cloth from either side. I also combine with my improvedcloth-supporting plate a spring-actuated roller located beneath theplate and having a tape wound upon the roller and provided with clothengaging means whereby the cape may be passed up through the clothopening or slot and attached to the cloth or work and feed it over thefeed -plate and down through the clothopening to the feed mechanism. Thefeeding mechanism comprises, preferably, a pair of rubberfacedfeedrolls, one of which is mounted upon a spring-pressed head and isprovided with a ratchet-feeding device. A controlling-lever engages thespring-pressed head for throwing the feed-rolls apart when it is desiredto insert or remove a piece of work.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will firstdescribe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings andafterward point out the novelty with more particularity in the annexedclaims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a front perspective view of my improvedsewing-machine. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the main parts of thesame, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the samewith parts broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail View of the spring-pawl ofthe ratchet-feed. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the feedingtapeand part of the spring-roll. Figs. [5 and 7 are sectional viewsillustrating the work of my improved machine. Figs. 8 and 9 are detailfront elevation and end views of the needle-guide roll, which isjourna-led in the feed-plate.

1 and 2 are side frames of an ordinary sewing-machine, and 3 is the mainportion of the sewing-machine table mounted upon the side frames 1 and2.

4 is the sewing-machine arm, and 5 is the head supported upon the arm.

6 is the treadle operating the driving-wheel 7, which drives thefly-wheel 8 by means of the belt 9. Fly-wheel 8 is keyed to the end of ashaft 10, journaled in one side of the sewing-machine arm 4 and carryingat its inner end a bevel-pinion 11, which gears with a similar pinion12, keyed to a shaft 13, journaled in the sewing-machine arm 4 and head5. Shaft 13 carries a crank-disk 14 at its forward end, in the head 5,and operates the needle-bar 15 by means of a link 16, pivotallyconnected to the crank-disk at 17 and to a collar 18 upon theneedle-bar.

19 is the needle.

20 is the presser-foot bar, mounted in the sewing-machine head 5,provided with the spiral spring 21, which operates in the usual mannerfor forcing the presser-foot 22 downwardly into engagement with thecloth upon the feed'table.

The presser-foot 22 is preferably faced with rubber 22, as shown in thedrawings.

In one edge of the sewing-machine head 5 is formed a vertical slot 25,through which projects an arm 26, rigidly secured to the presser-footbar 20. The arm 26 is pivoted to the lower end of a link 27, which is inturn pivoted to the end of a crank 28, adjust-ably secured to the outerend of a rock-shaft 29, journaled in the sewing-machine arm andextending parallel to the shaft 13.

44 is a cam-finger journaled upon a bracketarm 45, adapted to engage thearm 26 for elevating the presser-foot bar against the tendency of itsspring 21.

30 is a rocker-arm keyed to the rock-shaft 29, inside of the arm 4, and31 is a cam secured to shaft 13 and adapted to rock the arm 30 and shaft29 for intermittently elevating the presser-foot 22.

35 represents a shuttle, which may be of an y suitable construction. Ihave represented an oscillatory shuttle driven by a shaft 36 andconnected by crank-arm 37 and strap 38 with an eccentric 39, keyed tothe shaft 13, by means of which the shuttle is given a regularoscillatory motion.

The machine-table is formed in two parts with a free and unobstructedtransverse slot or cloth-opening between them, extending from side toside of the machine-table to allow the insertion of a piece of work fromeither side. To arrange the machine-table in this manner, I provide anauxiliary frame 50 of substantially U shape. This frame 50 has ahorizontal portion 50" extending toward the center of the machine andrising vertically to form an arm 50*, which is rigidly secured or formedintegral with a bracket or casting 51, secured to the main machine-framedirectly beneath the sewing-machine arm 4. The U-shaped frame 50 has aforward arm 50 extending vertically and formed with a socket 52 in itsupper end, in which is adjustably mounted an arm 53, which is formedwith a horizontal projection 54, extending toward the central plane offeed of the machine.

is a set-screw for holding the arm 53 in any desired adjusted position.

56 is a head secured to the end of the horizontal arm 54 and formed witha guide slot or groove 56 in its upper face, in which slides aguide-plate 57, secured to the lower face of the auxiliary feed-plate orcloth-plate 58, forming part of the machine-table.

59 is an adjusting-screw loosely engaging the bracket 60 of the guide-plate 57 and threaded into the head 56 of arm 54, by which means theauxiliary feed-plate 58 can be adjusted toward or away from thestationary part 3 of the machine-table.

The forward edge of the auxiliary feedplate 58 has set into it a smallguide-roller 65, which is jou rnaled freely therein for guiding thecloth around the end of the feed-plates. The roll is formed with aseries of clothengaging points or pins 67, arranged around its peripheryat its ends. The points or pins 67 serve to hold the cloth to preventits stretching in either direction while the needle is penetrating.Insome cases it is unnecessary to provide the needle-guide roller 65with the cloth-engaging points 67, and in such cases I have a plaingrooved roller. This plain roller is not illustrated in the drawings,because its structure will be perfectly clear from the aboveexplanation.

70 is a grooved rubber-faced feed-roll freely journaled in the arms 71,rigidly secured to and depending from the under face of the adjustablefeed-plate 58.

73 is a vertically-movable head or support resting against the forwardface of the arm 50 and carrying the parallel rods 7 4,which depend fromit and extend through the perforated guide-plates 75, secured to saidarm 50 76 are spiral springs surrounding the rods 74 and engaging thelower guide-plate 75 at their lower ends and a pin 77 at their upperends, which pin 77 passes through the rods 74. Springs 76 tend to holdthe head or support 73 upwardly with a. yielding pressure.

The head 73 is bifurcated or provided with two bearing-arms 73, in whichis freely journaled the rubber-faced feed-roll 78. Keyed to the journal79 of feed-roll 78 is a small ratchet-wheel 80, and mounted upon one ofthe bearing-arms 73 is a spring retaining-pawl 81, in constantengagement with the ratchet- Wheel 80 for holding the roll 78 againstbackward rotation.

82 is an oscillatory arm freely journaled upon the journal 79 and formedwith a heel 83.

84 is a spring-pawl secured to the heel 83 of oscillatory arm 82 andhaving its springtooth in engagement with the ratchet 80in rear of thestationary retaining-pawl 81.

85 is a lever pivoted at 86 and connected at its lower end 87 with alink 88, which is in turn pivoted to the oscillating arm 82. The upperend of the lever 85 carries an antifriction-roll 89, which works uponthe face of a cam 90, keyed to the shaft 13. By the rotation of theshaft 13 the cam 90 imparts a regular oscillating motion to the arm 82,which. causes the feed-roll 78 to rotate forwardly step by step.

91 is a rock-arm connected rigidly to the lever 85 and extendingforwardly through a vertical slot 92, formed in the sewing-machine arm4.

93 is an adjustable plate mounted upon a pin 94 and formed with a seriesof notches in its edge, which notches gradually increase in depth fromone end of the series toward the other end.

95 is a thumb screw or nut engaging the threaded portion of the pin 94and adapted to clamp the plate 93 in any desired adjusted position.

It will be clear that the purpose of the notched plate 93 is to engagethe projecting end of arm 91 to limit its upward movement and therebycontrol the nearness of theantifriction-roll 89 to the face of cam 90.This will regulate the length of the stroke of the oscillatingpawl-carrying arm 82, and consequently the length of feed and thestitches taken in the material which is being sewed. I prefer to formthe plate 93 in the shape of a segment, as shown, and arrange fivenotches in its edge, which will differ sufficiently in ICC depth to makea change of one tooth of ratchetwheel in the amount of feed imparted tothe feed-roll 78. In this way I can impart a feeding stroke amounting toone tooth of the ratchet or to live teeth of the ratchet, which I havefound to be sufficient for all practical purposes.

It will be observed that the head 73 .under the influence of spring 70will hold the rubher-faced feed-roll 78 into peripheral contact with thecompanion feed-roll '70. To throw the feed-rolls apart, I provide a longlever 96, which is pivoted at 97 and formed with the slot 98 at itsforward end, engaging a stud 99, projecting from one face of the head78.

100 is a treadle j ournaled between the side frames 1 and 2, and 101 isa connecting-rod connecting the treadle 100 with the lever 96. By thedepression of the forward end of treadle 1.00 the feed-rolls 78 aremoved apart to facilitate the insertion of the goods between their upperfaces.

It sometimes occurs in sewing a number of thicknesses of goods that theneedle is forced a little out of line before it enters the shuttlecase.This sometimes results in the breaking and bending of needles. Toprevent such accidents, I provide small lever 105, pivoted to thesewing-machine table between lugs 106 and carrying in its forwardbifurcated end a small needle-guide roller 107. This needleguide roller107 is preferably formed with a central peripheral groove to properlyguide the point of the needle into the opening 108 of the shuttle-case109. lVhen it is desired, the lever may be thrown back out of operativeposition. IVhen in operation, the roll 107 is supported upon theshuttle-case 109.

is a rod projecting from the arm 53 and supported at its other end in abracket 110, which depends from the head 56. Journaled upon the rod 115is a tubular roller 117, carrying at one end a small pulley or drum 118,upon which is wound a band or tape 119, provided at its free end withhooks or other fastening devices 120. Coiled around the rod 115, withinthe tube 117, is a spiral spring 121, one end of which is secured to therod 116, while the other end is attached to the tubular roller 117,giving said roller a tendency to wind the tape 119 around the drum 118.The purpose of this device is to start the material over the feed-plateand into the bite of the feed-rolls 70 and 78.

It will be observed from the above description that the supports formyimproved clothsupporting plate, together with the other operativeparts of the machine, are so disposed that they will permit the free andunobstructed insertion of the work from either side of the machine.

The operation of my improved machine may be described as follows: 157,157, and 157 represent, respectively, a piece of cloth, a lining, and awadding which are being sewed together with my improvedblindstitching-machine. The materials may be inserted by drawing thetape 119 between the rolls 70 and 78 and hooking the hooks 120 in theforward edges of the several pieces, then allowing the material to slideforward and around the inner edge of the feed-plate, the tension ofspring 121 winding the tape 119 around the drum 118. As soon as the edgeof the material reaches the end of the feedplate the machine may bestarted to sew from the extreme forward edge, the pull of the feed-tape119 being limited by the regular feed of the roll 78. This will pull thematerial between the feed-rolls 70 and 78. If a circular piece of workis being sewed, the treadle 100 is depressed for throwing the rolls 70and 78 apart and the material is inserted from either side, according toconvenience. In either case the material is caused to pass inwardly overthe feed-plate toward the path of the needle, then downwardly throughthe feed-opening between the two parts of the machine table, folding orbending transversely to the direction of feed while in the path of theneedle, and then moving in a reverse direction outwardly from the pathof the needle. The material falls naturally into the lap of theoperator, who sits close up to the machine with his knees alongside ofthe U-shaped frame 50. By the operation of the feed-screw 59feeding-plate 58 may be ad justed inwardly toward the path of the needleor baekwardly therefrom to cause the needle to pass through more or lessof the thickness of the material. In sewing the three thicknesses, asillustratedin the drawings, the needle always passes completely throughthe lining an d wadding and only partially through the thickness of thecloth.

The adjustment of arm 53 in socket 52 enables the vertical adjustment ofthe feedplate to suit varying requirements. The adjustment of arm 28 onrock-shaft 29 serves to regulate the position, operation, and pressureupon the presser-foot It will be observed that the result of blindstitching with my improved machine is a single line of stitching on thelining side of the work, because the cloth is bent or foldedtransversely to the line of feed, whereas with the ordinaryblindstitchin g attachments for sewing-machines in which the cloth isbent longitudinally of the line of feed the result is two lines ofstitching.

I11 Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown sectional views of the stitching. CLISthe needle-thread, and Z) is the shuttle thread. The needlethread apasses entirely through the lining and wadding and partially through thecloth or fur, which are bent transversely over the end of thefeed-plate, when the shuttle passes between the needle and needle-threadand the needle returns to initial position above the cloth, forming theordinary lock-stitch. As soon as the needle has been withdrawn from thematerial the latter is fed forward a step for a new stitch, which isperformed in the same way. a are the loops made by the too needle-threadaround the shuttle-thread b. A single exposed portion a of theneedle-thread will be visible on the lining between every two points ofpenetration of the needle and a sin gle exposed portion of theshuttle-thread will appear between every two loops at. The lining willtherefore show a single line of stitching which, if examined closely,will prove to consist of the loops at and the exposed portions a of theneedle-thread and the exposed portions of the shuttle-thread b. Thesuccessive needle-punctures may coincide or they may fall short of oroverlap each other, this being dependent upon the feed, which determinesthe length of the stitches.

In my application filed June 23, 1896, Serial No. 596,594, forimprovements in sewingmachines, I have described and claimed a machinewhich works upon the same general principle as mypresent case, butdiffers from the present case in that it employs an endless feed-beltand peculiar operating mechanism therefor.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A sewing machine comprising stitchforming mechanism, acloth-supporting plate consisting of two parts separated in the pathoftheneedle and forming a transverse openin g extending from side toside of the machine, the supports for said cloth-plate and the otheroperative parts of the machine being disposed to permit the free andunobstructed insertion of the work from either side of the machine, andmechanism for feeding the work transversely to and into said opening;substantially as set forth.

2. In a sewing-machine, the combination of an approximately U -shapedframe, with suit able stitch-forming mechanism, a cloth-supporting plateformed in two separate parts mounted respectively upon the arms of saidU-shaped frame, and the two parts of the plate being supported by saidframe to form a free and unobstructed cloth opening or slot between themin the path of the needle, which cloth-opening extends transversely tothe direction of feed of the cloth and from side to side of the machineto permit insertion of the cloth from either side, and suitablecloth-feeding mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. In a sewing-machine, the combination with suitable stitch-formingmechanism, of a cloth-supporting plate formed in two parts, anapproximately U-shaped supporting and connecting frame arranged at oneside of the machine, and having arms extending toward the plane of feed,the arms of said U-shaped frame being connected respectively with thetwo parts of the cloth-supporting plate and supporting said parts inproper relation to form a free and unobstructed cloth-opening betweenthem in the path of the needle ex-' tending transversely to thedirection of clothfeed from side to side of the machine, and

suitable cloth-feeding mechanism; substantially as set forth.

4. In a sewing-machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, amachine table, and a machine-supporting frame, of an auxiliaryapproximately U-shaped frame having one of its arms secured to the mainsupporting-frame, an auxiliary cloth-plate supported upon the other armof said U-shaped frame to form a part of the machine-table with a freeand unobstructed transverse opening between the cloth-plate andmachine-table, and suitable means for feeding cloth over saidcloth-plate into the cloth-opening, as set forth.

5. In a sewing-machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism,and a machine-supporting frame, of an auxiliary approximately U -shapedframe arranged at one side of the machine and having arms extendingtoward the plane of feed, one of which arms is secured to themachine-supporting frame, an auxiliary feed-plate or cloth-platesupported upon the other arm of said auxiliary frame adjacent to andforming part of the machine-table, the machine-table and cloth-platebeing separated to form a clothop ening between them in the path of theneedle, and suitable cloth-feeding mechanism; substantially as setforth.

6. In a sewing-machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, amachinetable, and a machine-supporting frame, of an auxiliary U -shapedframe supported upon the machine-frame by one of its arms, avertically-adjustable arm mounted upon the other arm of said U-shapedframe and carrying an auxiliary cloth-plate'forming a part of themachine-table, whereby said auxiliary clothplate may be adjustedvertically with relation to the machine-table, and suitablecloth-feeding mechanism, as set forth.

'7. In a sewing-machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism,a machinetable, and a machine-supporting frame, of an auxiliaryapproximately U -shaped frame secured to the machine-supporting frame,avertically-adjustable arm mounted upon said auxiliary frame, anauxiliary cloth plate mounted upon said vertically-adj ustable arm andsupported thereby adjacent to the machine-table With a transverseunobstructed cloth-opening extending between them from side to side ofthe machine, means for adjusting the auxiliary plate toward and awayfrom the stitch-forming mechanism, and a suitable cloth-feeding device,as set forth.

8. In a sewing-machine, the combination of stitch-forming mechanism, asewing-machine table, an adjustable cloth-plate projecting toward theedge of the machine-table and form ing between them a cloth-opening inthe path of the stitch-formin g mechanism, extending from side to sidetransversely of the machine, means for adjusting the cloth-plate towardand away from the stitch-forming mechanism,

and suitable feeding mechanism constructed to feed cloth over theadjustable plate around its end and down into the cloth-opening;substantially as set forth.

9. A sewing machine comprising stitchforming mechanism, acloth-supporting plate consisting of two parts separated in the path ofthe needle and forming a transverse opening extending from side to sideof the machine, a guide-roll journaled in one of said parts, andcooperating feed-rolls for feeding cloth over and under said part of thefeedplate in which the guide-roll is journaled, causing the cloth topass toward and away from the point of stitching, substantially as setforth.

10. A sewingmachine comprising stitchforming mechanism, acloth-supporting plate consisting of two parts separated in the path ofthe needle and forming a transverse opening extending from side to sideof the machine, a guide-roll journaled in the forward edge of one ofsaid parts in advance of the plane of the needle of the stitch formingmechanism, and means for feeding the cloth over and under saidguide-roll and part of supporting-plate in which it is journaled, towardand away from the point of stitching, substantially as set forth.

11. In a sewing-machine, the combination of stitcl1-forming mechanism, afeed or cloth plate projecting toward the point of stitching, arubber-faced feed-roll journaled beneath the feed-plate, a cooperatingrubber-faced feedroll journaled in a movable spring-pressed support, andmeans for intermittently operating said feed-rolls; substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

12. In a sewing-machine, the combination of a stitch-forming mechanism,a feed-plate projecting toward the point of stitching, a feed-roll journaled beneath the feed-plate, a movable head or support mounted belowsaid feed-roll, a cooperatin g feed-roll journaled in said movable head,springs for holding said head in elevated position, an operating-leverengaging said head for depressing it and throwing the feed-rolls apart,and means for operating the feed-rolls, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

13. In a sewing-machine, the combination of stitch-forming mechanism, afeed-plate projecting toward the point of stitching, a suitablevertically movable spring pressed head orsupport mounted below thefeed-plate, a feed-roll journaled in said head or support, a cooperatingfeed-roll journaled in stationary bearings, a presser-foot, means forelevating and lowering the presser-foot, means for intermittentlyoperating the feed-rolls when the presser-foot is elevated, and meansfor depressing the movable head or support to throw the feed rollsapart; substantially as set forth.

14. In a sewing-machine, the combination of stitch-forming mechanism, afeed-plate projecting toward the point of stitching, a feed-rolljournaled beneath the feed-plate, a vertically-movable head carrying asecond feed-roll, springs moving said head upwardly, a lever engagingsaid head, and a foot lever or treadle connected with said lever, meansfor operating the feed-rolls, substantially as set forth.

15. In a sewing-machine, the combination of stitch-forming mechanism, apair of feedrolls adapted to engage and feed a piece of cloth betweenthem, a ratchet-Wheel carried by one of the feed-rolls, an oscillatoryarm carrying a pawl engaging said ratchet-Wheel, a cam, a leverconnected with said oscillatory arm and engaging and operated by saidcam, an arm projecting from said lever, and an adj ustable notched plateadapted to engage said arm for regulating the stroke of the pawl;substantially as set forth.

16. In a sewing-machine, the combination of stitch-forming mechanism, afeed-plate projecting toward the point of stitching, a spring-actuatedrollerbeneath the feed-plate, a tape wound upon said roller and providedwith cloth-engaging means, said tape being adapted to be passed aroundthe end of the feed-plate and attached to the cloth and feed it over andaround the end of the plate, sub

stantially as and for the purposes set forth.

J OSEPI-I ARBES. IVitnesses:

WM. E. KNIGHT, M. V. BIDGOOD.

